The PULP of the matter
(A realistic take on Pulp heroes)
Born to a modest Laywer family,
Doctor Clark Savage Junior was from a young age obcessed with the idea of self improvement. Influenced by a number of authors that covered everything from oriental gurus to eugenics, Clark convinced himself that the purpose of every human being should be to improve oneself, and that such an improvement would inevitably produce a positive impact on their enviroment.
Dedicating himself to sports as well as academics, Savage got accepted into Harvard University with a scholarship, playing for their football team and graduating with honors on the field of Archaeology. Deeply fascinated by different human cultures and how they dealt with the concept of human improvement, he would go on to receive a Ph.D. on the field of societal advancement, before relocating to
New York City.
In 1933 Savage decided to assemble a expedition to the
Yucatan Peninsula, to explore ancient Mayan ruins. The Expedition ended up uncovering a small isolated mayan community that was being opressed by a local strongman by the name of Victoriano Muerte, more popularly known as
"Red Death". Aiding the natives in their insurrection against the would be warlord, Savage was rewarded with a immense cache of hidden gold (located inside one of the newly discovered pyramids), worth about 20 million dollars in 1933 currency (the details of the events vary wildly. While Savage always claimed he received the gold as a token of gratitude, some have questioned it, and some have openly accused him of tomb raiding). The expedition subsequently received worldwide coverage, and Doctor Clark Savage, now popularly nicknamed
Doc Savage, became an international celebrity.
Capitalizing on his fame and newfound wealth, Savage rented the
86th floor of the Empire State Building, where he established the
Hidalgo Trading Company, meant to fund and organize further expeditions and adventures. Savage would go on to hire a team of specialists on every field, from geography to physics, to develop gadgets and tools for him to use in such expeditions. Aside from his personal cache of gold, Savage received funding from a number of news outlets dedicated to covering his adventures.
His subsequent travels all gained unprecedented media coverage. His 1935 discovery of Greek ruins in the
isle of Distante, on the Atlantic Ocean (believed to be Atlantis at the time); his 1936 expedition to northern India in search of
Shangri-La, where he would face Thuggee religious fanatics; his 1937 discovery of the
Savage Diamond in South Africa, and his 1939 discovery of the
tomb of Prester John in Syria all became legendary.
On of the greatest celebrities in the world during the 1930's and 1940's, Doc Savage would sell his stories to
Warner Brothers, resulting in a series of cinematic hits from 1940 to 1948. Serving as a consultor, many critics have accused Savage of exagerating his own deeds.
Savage was also known for his own desires for excess possessing a fleet of cars, planes, boats, and mansions across the country. Some of these served his needs, while most were simply for leisure. He also had a number of residencies outside the US, most notably the famous "
Fortress of Solitude", his experimental base built in the
Arctic (Today Disney's Arcticland). He was also notorious for his 3 marriages to famous Hollywood actresses:
Barbara Stanwyck; former vigilante turned actress
Ellen Patrick, and
Marilyn Monroe in the 1950's. All of which ended in bitter divorce cases.
Though still incredibly famous and wealthy in the 1950's, Savage's popularity begun to fade somewhat. Nevertheless he continued to conduct expeditions, and his book "
The Superior Man", published in 1955 would become a international bestseller. It was around this time that Savage became acquainted with
Ayn Rand, and her ideology of
Objectivism, of which he would become a devout follower.
In the 1960's public attention drifted away from Doc Savage. At the same time he would grow politically involved as ardent critic of the
Kennedy Administration, and a staunch supporter of the
Goldwater campaign in 1964. In 1966 the spotlight once again turned towards him as Savage became involved in a large Tax fraud scandal, which forced him to sell the majority of his assets and intellectual property. His 1969 authobiography
"A Savage Life" underperformed considerably.
In 1972 Doctor Clark Savage would be found
dead, a result of a cocaine overdose, in his luxurious Hollywood Hills house, his last remaining residency.
Though deeply beloved for many decades due to his adventures and exploits, public perception of Doc Savage is heavily mixed. Many perceive his adventures to have been exagerated, and accusations of international theft of cultural artifacts remain in contention to this day. His ideas and involvement with Objectivism have also drawn serious criticism. Nevertheless, he remains highly popular with many today, specially among the right and conservative/libertarian circles. His son,
Maxwell Savage is an american Senator notorious for his laissez-faire stance. The Hidalgo Trading Company is today the
Clark Savage center of technology, a prestigious research institute. To this day, products based or related to the Doc Savage IP are believed to have generated billions of dollars, ranging from blockbuster films, books, toys and attractions.